Dry Sulfur blends

[furrowtickler]

A few guys seeding canola last week had an absolute nightmare with Sulfur bends plugging up air systems on their drills . And that was on 30% humidity days .
There was a wreck last year in this area for some guys as well. Even floater trucks were plugging up after they gave up trying to put it on with their drills.
No specific drill either. Product looks fine until it goes through an auger or into the air tanks then it's a shit show. Sounds like S fert blends only and from different suppliers . Agrium change their dry Sulfur ??? All things seem to point that way.
There is now way in hell dry fert should gum up on 30% humidity days - ever .
Some of the product was delivered last fall some this spring .
These guys lost a lot of extremely valuable time last week and had to unplug entire drills two times a day or more . It's not one specific drill either.
It's garbage dry S . No issues without S , but most guys have it all blended already and on farm for canola so now what ?

[furrowtickler]

These are a couple of pics from a guy last week after seeding canola last week when the humidity was 30% . Of course it was wore when the humidity was higher but this is not a one off . The same exact thing happened to guys last year.
There is no way that should happen unless humidity is above 70-80% . Or your seeding in rain . Something is reacting with the dry S when blended

[bucket]

Just heard a story that guys that took delivery of fertilizer last summer using cement breaking equipment to get it out....

Sounds like a few shifts at the fertilizer plant forgot to check the coating tote.

Never accept hot fertilizer at the farm even on a dry summer day...NEVER.

[furrowtickler]

A lot of that happened here last year as well . Some guys had to cut bins open

[mcfarms]

YIKES... Running a combination of mes with the canola seed with some ammonium sulfate to the mid rows and so far so good but thats ugly. And yes the truckers were firmly instructed to make dam sure the 46 that came in here last July was out of the pile and cool. yet there was still lots of kitty litter that went it both at the start and end of each bin. Was a real sigh of relief when the slide got opened and with a little poking we got a flow of good fert this spring. Was nervous about that all winter.

[iceman]

Been there. Makes for a long spring. Some days spreading sulfer in the fall doesn't seem to be that much of a extra cost. One retailer in these parts has a reputation of buying the cheapest junk and it shows.

Iceman Out

[farmaholic]

Years ago we mixed two types of fert and had a mushy greasy mess. But if this stuff has been blended and in storage, I don't have an answer.

Your problem Mr. Farmer! Just like some products I pick up or bring home for storage full of chunks like it was stuff cleaned up off the floor of a bulk fert bunker....the nitrogen I get is always good...straight from the manufacturer.

It reminds me of how the grain buyers pick my product apart to get it cheaper...but we're supposed to accept anything the trade gives us...no questions asked. Good thing we screen coming out of the bin and into the drill!

[farmaholic]

Only three products used here, N, S15, S, don't bring home blends. Each in their own tank of the seed cart(4 compartments). Straight S used only on canola with N and S15. Use S15 as P source. Towers don't have that mess in them like the pictures posted.

[farmaholic]

Which product has the concentration?

[fjlip]

We quit using that shit years ago, nightmare for sure, always HUMID here. Elemental S 00090, blended with urea, NO ISSUES at all. Apply usually in fall blend for the year following. It is slow to release/convert/get available. Need a two year plan though, or just apply some every year.

[Braveheart]

We experienced problems a few years ago. Have since switched to MES down and to the side. No fert with seed. Extra S we apply as liquid streaming through sprayer.

Fert salesman really should advise their customers as to problems possible in blends not just push product out the door and hope for the best.

[4GFarms]

We are using a esn blend with P and S and have some caking issues. It cakes up the load augers and then the distribution manifolds. Have not been running in high humidity (30-60%). Yet when we use the regular blend without esn it seems way better. It is frustrating when you pay so much for the product. Not sure if its the phos of what?

[the big wheel]

Thanks a lot for the info people, I had the same problem last year big time, I never complained didn't want to sound like a whiner but holy cow it was frustrating, especially with new people on the drills.
I thought it was the potash but likely was the sulfur.

[blackpowder]

Strange at 30% humidity. Luckily a liquid dealer opened up here 3 years ago and I havent plugged a damn thing since.
I believe our granular quality has gotten steadily worse. Still use some and its nothing but dust this year.
Good luck, I know how frustrating that is. Check your tank equalization plumbing every fill too! Think I've plugged everything there is to plug. Going in showers on a daily basis here.

[furrowtickler]

Ya that's where liquid shines , weather don't matter - putting our liquid S on now with round up as pre burn . Fast and full sectional control.
Ahead of canola - round up , conquer and 8 gal S - total 11.5 gal/ ac
Ahead of Wheat - round up , black hawk and 5 gal or S , 7.5 gal total
Ahead of peas - round up , gold wing , treflan and S - 4 gal S , 11.5 gal total .
Used to put on S with liquid N at seeding but now lees product to haul to seeder and use sprayer a bit more .